Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

The day after we announced the news, Rochelle and Scott left for their honeymoon and I was happy knowing that now they can do anything they could dream of together and really relax. Scott's mother took Michael while they're away and a baby free week would do them good.

As soon as they left I felt relieved though, I loved her and I love Chase but I was over weddings and wedding planning. It felt almost like Chase and I put our relationship on hold to help Rochelle and now it was like a second honeymoon.

As soon as we walked through the door, the clothes came off; sometimes we couldn't even wait that long though.

We still pulled twelve hour days and I was blaming my pregnancy for those long lunch breaks we had been taking since we couldn't spend those extra four hours a day in bed.

Life was draining and I didn't know how much longer I could keep these hectic hours up. I was tired and sick all the time which made working difficult and Riley didn't want to hear that we needed help. We took on the company when it was much smaller and it's doubled the business in five years.

We were doing twice the work with the same amount of people and it wasn't only unfair to us, but it was unfair to the employees and getting Riley to agree to hire more people was like pulling teeth; actually I think pulling teeth would be easier.

I don't think Riley realized just how badly him taking all that time killed Chase and I, the strain it put on us with that and the babies and the wedding. I don't think Riley realizes that in thirty weeks, give or take, I will be having twins.

That was still a strange thought, twins.

Chase and I would be parents of twins and I wouldn't be working for a while, Chase would be taking time off; what did Riley think was going to happen when that time came?

He hadn't thought that far ahead and that's a problem because we need time to train people but anytime I tried to bring it up, he didn't want to hear it.

It's gotten to the point where I had to call Chase and Riley into a meeting and ambush them with the truth, they weren't going to like it but something needed to be done.

At the thought or suggestion of bringing someone else in to help at the level the three of us were at, Riley lost it because he didn't fucking get it. He was the one who came in last of the tree of us most days to spend the morning helping get Lina and Mia ready for school. He was the one who left late to be home with his wife and kids. I was the one who was first in and last out. I was the one that pulled the long days and did the most of the work.

I did everything they did and then had to take the time to make sure things were filled out properly and organize; I did more work than any of the boys realized and it seemed like they suddenly forgot how fucked up things got when I had to take time off work.

"Riley, we need to hire someone else. You took months off when Miguel was born and Chase will be too. Are you going to do it all by yourself?" I was yelling now because I was tired of his inability to budge. I was tired of working twelve hours or more every day, I was just tired.

"Can't Chase work from home?" Riley asked and I was ready to fucking loose it.

"You are so god damn selfish Riley, you don't give a damn that I am fucking pregnant and am working myself to fucking death while you get to come in late and go home on time and play husband and daddy. Chase and I don't get to do that." Since we started dating Chase started staying later with me, he didn't use to.

I don't think he knew how much time I spent here until he left a few times and he fell asleep before I got home.

"This was mom and dad's, we're not giving it up, not even a part." Riley was stubborn

"We aren't, we're hiring someone and we have more than enough to do that and we will talk about it because I've already made a call asking someone if they would be interested if the position should come up, they said yes." I blindsided him with that and I knew it.

I knew it wasn't my place to be making these decisions but I just couldn't do this anymore.

"Excuse me." Riley turned to face me so quick he almost fell over

"What?" Probably should have told my husband and business partner that but I didn't.

"Jameson is willing to discuss it and would move here depending on the money." I'd been thinking about this since our wedding; Jameson would be perfect.

"Jameson, my friend?" Chase asked and I nodded

"You had no right." Riley calmed down after Chase gave him a look to watch his temper.

"I know but I cannot work like this anymore. I want to spend time at home with my husband, I want to spend time with my children and I don't know if I'm coming back right away after they're born. I want to stay home for a year Riley. I have a life too. Do you not understand that I work eighteen hours at least twice a week?"

"I need a minute." He left the room and Chase and I sat there in silence, waiting.

Riley left for a few minutes and came back only this time he was calmer and much more willing to discuss this.

We brought in our chief financial officer and discussed finances. We agreed that Jameson would be an ideal choice and what we were willing to pay him for salary. We agreed on a number of people to hire and went through to figure out which departments were struggling.

I told them we needed to hire two secretaries, one for Chase and I and one for Riley and Jameson, should he accept. I didn't need to be doing all the filing when I could be spending that time working on accounts and they agreed.

The meeting went until ten at night but we finally came to an understanding and I for one was relieved by it. I shouldn't have to make myself sick with stress over this when hiring a few people would stop that.

I didn't think that being pregnant would be this draining and after everything I've done, after all the time's Riley's had to skip out on work, I think I deserve to be able to take it easy for a bit.

Once we finalized plans we set a time to conference with Jameson tomorrow and put out the ads for the positions we needed, hopefully we would get interviews soon.

We all agreed that it would be a good idea to ask if Rodger would come back while I was on maternity leave. Rodger was mom and dad's old partner; he helped us transition after their death and then he left. I didn't know if he would come back; Those three were very close and their death hit him hard, he even sold his part of the company back to us.

"We can try." Riley was skeptical, it wasn't that we didn't trust him but we just weren't sure if he would even consider it.

"I just think an extra person would be helpful when I'm on maternity leave. I would like to take a few months off and then see about working from home or only coming in a day or two a week. I want to spend time with my babies." I didn't want to be that parent that worked too much to watch them grow.

My parents killed themselves balancing the work with being parents and I was just trying to make things easier on all of us so that all of our kids didn't have to feel like we weren't around.

The next day we talked to Jameson and our number was one he liked enough to move and after that things got crazy quickly.

We jumped full force with a remodel when we bought out the floor above us to accommodate for the new employees we would have. We interviewed together which we knew was intimidating, but we needed someone who wasn't afraid of it and the right people for the job have to be adaptable.

We bought out the level in the building below us and are about to go through an entire remodel. The top floor will be changed into five offices in case we expand again or Rodger gets back to us and then we were hiring on two secretaries who will be out front. The rest of the employees would be on the other floor we previously owned and the one we just bought.

"Are you okay?" Chase asked as he wrapped his arms around me and I was standing in destruction so no, I wasn't okay.

Let me tell you one thing, growing your business and going through a full remodel while pregnant and recently married was the worst decision I ever made.

"No, there's too much to do and it feels like nothing is getting done, our houses are a mess since we have to work from there and god knows how everyone's coping being shoved together." I was about to break into tears.

"Go home Brylee, I can handle this; stress is bad for the babies." He wrapped his arms around me and I felt instantly better as I inhaled his cologne that he's been wearing since I could remember, he smelt like home to me and I closed my eyes as I buried my face in his chest.

His fingers worked through my hair which calmed me down and I felt much better with the simple touch.

"I'm so tired. I'm tired of being tired, I'm tired of crying, I'm tired of throwing up, I'm just tired." I loved that I was pregnant, but this was more than I expected. Being pregnant with twins sucked.

"Go home honey and take a nap." He tilted my chin up and kissed me

"How about you both go home, I'll stay and watch over everything." Riley was leaning in the doorway of destruction

"I don't mind staying, I just don't want her making herself sick over this." I turned to face Riley and Chase had an arm wrapped around me, his hand caressing my stomach; it was his new habit.

"I remember when Monica was pregnant, she wanted to just lay down and would cry because she just wanted me there. I'm sure Brylee would appreciate some time with you and I don't mind staying, you two have done enough and Brylee was right; it's not fair to put so much on you two. Go home." He insisted.

I yawned as I headed to grab my stuff while Chase and Riley talked and it ended with Chase meeting me at the elevator and we headed home together. Chase drove as I leaned against the door and closed my eyes.

"We're home honey." Chase ran his hand up and down my thigh and I opened my eyes to see our place calling me.

"Oh." I opened my door and wondered inside and went straight for my bed. I didn't bother to take my heels off or change out of my clothes; I just dropped my bag on the way in and fell face first into my covers. I was taking advantage of the little time I had left to sleep on my stomach.

"Come on, sit up." I groaned and shook my head

"No, I just want to sleep." I complained

"Just turn over and sit up." I sighed but did as he said because he would bother me until I did it. With complete gentleness he unbuttoned my jacket and pushed it off my shoulders before slowly undoing the buttons of my blouse.

I let him take that off too and he unclipped my bra with one hand before turning to grab one of his t-shirts and I raised my arms for him to pull it over my head.

Next he pulled my heels off and grabbed my hand to stand me up where he proceeded to unzip my skirt and pull that off as well before helping me into my shorts.

I sat on the bed as he put my shoes away and put up my clothes.

He was still in his suit and I watched as he loosened his tie and I licked my lips and mentally undressed him. I loved a man in a suit, have since I was a teenager. His movements to remove my clothes weren't sexual in the least, he just wanted to take care of me and make sure I was comfortable.

I loved that he was always so thoughtful in his actions and then watching him in that suit I wanted to take off of him as he put my clothes up so there wasn't a mess. It wasn't anything over the top, it was a daily action he did and for some reason that aroused me.

I couldn't put my finger on why it did, maybe it was just because I was pregnant but I didn't think so. There was just something about him.

We may have an unconventional sexual relationship at times but he always treats me with love and respect and it was like an extra form of foreplay sometimes.

"What?" I asked when I looked up to see him staring at me.

"You're just so beautiful." He smiled that smile that wasn't huge, but it reached his eyes and that made it seem bigger.

I was sitting with my legs tucked under me in bed with no make-up and baggy clothes. I was gaining weight and emotional, I felt far from beautiful but I loved him for saying it.

It didn't faze him this time when I started crying, he just finished undressing and put those clothes away quickly before he pulled on some shorts and climbed into bed with me to hold me until I stopped with the tears.

"I'm sorry." I wiped at my eyes

"Don't be."

"I just already feel so uncomfortable and fat, I hate that I feel so insecure. I know you're not going to leave me or anything but sometimes I just feel. I don't know how I feel." but I knew I hated it.

"I understand that but I can't wait for you to get bigger. You're going to get bigger and some of it will be fat and I will love every pound of it. It's healthy for you and for our babies and the bigger you get, the closer we get to meeting them." His hand rested on my stomach and I loved that.

"Thank you, I just hope you don't get tired of saying that for the next seven months."

"I won't. Now get comfortable." He moved away from me and I wiggled around enough until I found a mostly comfortable position and Chase came back from the bathroom.

He sat at the edge of the bed and pulled one of my feet into his lap. I watched him put lotion on his hands before he grabbed my foot and rubbed them. I didn't realize just how badly my feet hurt until he started rubbing them and that was the last thing I remembered before I fell asleep.

He woke me up later with dinner and then he ran the both of us a bath where he rubbed my shoulders and then we went to sleep but when I woke up the next day he wasn't there and it was almost noon.

I scrambled out of bed and caught a glimpse of a note and grabbed it on my way to the bathroom to get ready.

Brylee,

I wanted you to sleep in until you were ready to get up. I'm not going to tell you to stay home because that would be pointless so take your time and I'll see you later. I love you.

Chase.

I looked it over and decided to throw on jeans and a nice shirt, I ignored the heels and put on regular shoes and set out to pick up lunch before heading into work. When I got there the boys were talking to the construction manager and I walked over to hear them talking about how progress was going.

It wasn't anything too exciting so I went and set up lunch and eventually the boys joined me. During lunch we got a call from Jameson who stopped by to talk about some of the plans. During that Rodger called me so I excused myself to take it.

"Hey Rodger." I answered

"Brylee, how have you been?" he asked me, besides my wedding I haven't seen or talked to him in a while and even at the wedding he didn't stay long.

"I've been good, we're making some big changes right now and I'm trying to get through it."

"What changes?" he asked

"We're changing some things up, hiring more people, hiring an actual secretary and we brought on a guy we went to college with." I named a few

"It's great the things you've done with your parents company, is there a reason you called?" he asked me. It was his company once upon a time too.

"Yeah, we were wondering if you would be willing to come back after the New Year to work for about six months." I said and he was quiet for a while

"Is everything okay?" he asked me

"It's great, I'm actually pregnant. It's a large reason we're restructuring. I can't pull the long hours anymore with the twins on the way and neither can Chase, then Riley just had another baby."

"Twins huh? Congratulations, I know your parents would have been so proud of you Brylee." I bit my lip to hold back the tears; it was a hard time going through all these life changes and never getting to hear their opinion on it all.

"Thanks." I wasn't sure what else to say and it seemed he didn't either, I didn't expect an answer right now so I just let the line stay quiet until he decided to say something.

"Six months, that's all I can do honey; but for you kids I'll come back for six months." I was surprised to hear a decision that quickly

"Really?" I asked and he laughed

"Yes, we'll discuss it more in the next few months. I owe it to your parents too; I don't want you to have to worry about work. I want you to be able to stay home with your babies." He told me

"Thank you, you have no idea what it means to all of us." I know it was hard for him to walk away from this company and I knew it was asking a lot to ask him to come back, even for a short period of time. I was so appreciative that he would do that for us though, for me so I can stay home and not have to worry so much about how work is going.

I knew he wouldn't let the boys slack on anything and that was a huge comfort. Now Chase would be able to stay home with me for a little bit too with the three of them there to do the work.

"Of course honey, I'll call back in the next few weeks, I have the grandbabies staying for a bit." I listened and could hear them in the background now.

"Alright, I'll let you go and we'll talk soon." After I got off the phone I finally felt like things were falling into place, the construction was moving along, Jameson was here and would be starting soon and now Rodger would come back so I could have maternity leave.

I let the boys know and with his answer in we could finally finalize a lot of decisions regarding the company and it made our personal lives much less stressful too.

A lot of a filler chapter but now all of those things are out of the way, major changes going on for them all right now :)